Flying Car Takes Successful Flight

[grieve]

[citation][nom]chunkymonster[/nom]I think flying cars with this foldable wing is hack 1950's retro order a model kit out of the back Popular Mechanics design. The Moller SkyCar is a much more elegant design and what a flying car should look like. If the laws allowed I would buy an M150 SkyCar today![/citation]
I agree I’m not certain he has perfected the skycar just yet though. I watched an hour show on his design/building; it certainly is a superior design and use for a personal aircraft.

 

[Grims]

I can see it now, lights come on behind you and you realized you fell for the oldest speed trap in town...as the cop sees the wings go down and his prey fly off into the sunset...how fast is your radio now eh? haha.

 

[ViPr]

unfortunately, i believe, in car mode this vehicle does not have adequate side and rear visibility to be road permissable.

 

[Guest]

There is a reason Terrafugia calls this a "Roadable Aircraft" and not a flying car -- they are not marketing this as something that's going to replace people's day-to-day car. This is meant for pilots who are looking a means of transportation that gives them some added flexibility. farfolomew's example is one good one (park this in your garage, drive to airport, fly to destination airport, drive to final destination). Also, if the weather conditions do not allow flying (weather below IFR minimums, etc.), you still have the option of driving.

As for the Moller skycar... I've been following the "progress" of the skycar for over a decade. Personally, I feel the claimed performance/cost are extremely optimistic. They were talking about having imminent untethered flights of the M400 skycar prototype back in the early 2000's and now, last I looked, they basically pushed those back indefinitely. When I first heard about it, it sounded amazing and too good to be true... as usual, it seems that it was.